oily weather report

It seems the solution to pollution is dilution, especially prior to sampling. And if the sample will demonstrate anything contrary to permit limitations, it's cheaper to not sample and ask for forgiveness later.

Photos from December 2009 unsampled permit excursion

December 2009 discharge into neighborhood canal, which discharges into the sensitive estuaries of The Central Wetlands of Lake Borgne Louisiana. Continued Weather Forecast in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana “cloudy, with a chance of oil”.

Page 82 of link http://edms.deq.louisiana.gov/app/doc/view.aspx?doc=8330751&ob=yes&child=yes

(Also available on Louisiana DEQ’s website, right hand column menu, EDMS icon, select AI #1238 and date range of choice.)

The DEQ renewed the Murphy Oil application for a water discharge permit in St Bernard Parish and responded to some comments.  Murphy Oil has sold the facility to Valero Refining - Meraux LLC.

It seems DEQ based its decision on 1) the Murphy facility only making two reports of permit limit excursions in five years (January 2006 to December 2011), and, 2) the facility‘s history of meeting its permit limitations. Yet, this history does not include the numerous unsampled and or undocumented permit excursions,  including DEQ’s own failure to sample the discharge and sample the receiving waters in December 2009 (photo above).  This history does not include the discharges from unpermitted outfalls.

DEQ’s decision seems based on “there is no demonstrated reasons” and further “no indication” of adverse effects, including adverse effects on receiving waters. DEQ does not mention that the refinery failed to sample, thereby giving itself a pass because, if you don’t document the excursion, you don’t have a demonstrated reason. DEQ seems to accept this fallacy. DEQ mentions the compliance order which notes the refinery’s excursions and notice of potential penalties; DEQ mentions the settlement reached with the oil company (which included about $100,000 in fines, which is a lot cheaper than adding one more storm water storage tank), but DEQ requires no changes, no additional storm water capacity nor storage tanks.   DEQ does not mention how long the tank farm had serious soil and ground water contamination even before the Hurricane Katrina nor how long the sole storm water storage tank was out of service post Hurricane Katrina. 

 Instead, DEQ refers to the new owner, Valero Corporation, and it’s successful record in another location, St Charles Parish, Louisiana, as reason enough to renew the water discharge permit in St Bernard Parish.   Yet, Valero Corporation submitted a request for DEQ to concur with some of Murphy Oil's requests for less stringent permit requirements, including an objection to the creation of a separate outfall and sampling requirement for the discharge of hydrostatic test wastewaters into our neighborhood canals.  Most of those Murphy Oil suggestions were at least denied by DEQ. 

Within six months, Valero will be required to submitt a storm water management plan of its own for the St Bernard Parish refinery, and it may include Valero's Spill Control Plan and Valero's Emergency Response Plan, not just a copy of the ole Murphy Oil best practices.  We can only hope this Valero Refinery begins to demonstrate the same level of respect and commitment to our neighborhoods; so far, we have not seen the difference.

It’s been raining for a few days now in St. Bernard Parish and while there have been no reports of oily discharges from the holding ponds into the neighborhood canal, and no rain water overflow from the refinery’s processing campus into the neighborhoods [See YouTube video from from June 2009, an event which repeated in July 2011], it is uncertain if Valero has sent any oily water, process water or any other flow from the process campus to the holding ponds.  The permit allows the refinery to store the flows of chemicals in an unlined hole in the Earth when it rains, and if the rain capacity continues to exceed the refinery’s ability to contain its own storm water, the permit allows the flow to continue into the ponds; the ponds are allowed to discharge into the neighborhood canal. There is no sampling of this flow until it has been diluted and aerated in these ponds; aerated into the neighborhoods' air.

It is this flow from the processing campus to the neighborhood that the people of St Bernard Parish insist Valero Refinery stop and instead use a more appropriate storage container, such as a tank.

DEQ did not quantify the cost of another containment tank and further DEQ determined the personal income of the Valero Employees and the tax revenues for the State and Parish are major and significant and tangible and outweigh the adverse offsite environmental costs in our neighborhood, including the adverse health effects on the people of St Bernard Parish. DEQ’s conclusion infers the value of the lives of the people of the State are less than the value of the paychecks of the workers.

Notably, the Louisiana Constitution does not establish environmental protection as an exclusive goal, but instead, requires a balancing process in which environmental costs and benefits must be given full and careful consideration along with economic, social and other factors. (page 65)

Unfortunately, the LDEQ didnot give full and careful consideration to our community.

submitted by a domiciled resident

Permit Objection Update

EPA asked to Veto Murphy Oil's air quality permit

Concerned Citizens Around Murphy v Jackson
No. 2:10-cv-04444 (E.D. La. Dec. 1, 2010)

Murphy Oil Title V application V6

Murphy Oil Meraux Title V application V6 for minor modification 
(Submitted May 2011; Public Notice and Public Comment Period pending)


.......to revise the operating rate of the cooling tower...In January 2010, the feed pump to the cooling tower was modified to include a larger impeller to accommodate the increase in cooling demand as a result of the BenFree Unit project.......The increase in the operating rate at the cooling tower has also been evaluated for applicability to NSR in the context of the BenFree Unit....the overall project emissions increase..from the cooling tower is revised...The revised project emissions increase(s)..are less than the NSR significant emission rates, therefore the BenFree Unit project is not subject to PSD review when using this updated information........ (see Citizen's Petition to EPA to Veto the BenFree Unit Air Permit "V5" and Citizen's enforcement suit to compel EPA to respond to petition )

...........to delete one compressor engine, reinstate two existing compressor engines, incorporate an existing compressor previously authorized (as an emergency backup compressor), revise the inventory information and identification for an existing tank, delete a proposed tank...reinstate an existing tank, and revise the maximum operating rate for the cooling tower......

.........correct a prior permitting error and reconcile the maximum operating rates by adding two......compressor engines back into the permit........ These engines were inadvertently deleted from the permit as part of a prior modification permitting the Clean Fuels Phase II project.... ( Title V air permit "V2"   issued November 2007) ) (Public Hearing Transcript  )

...... these inadvertently deleted compressors which are expected to be replaced with electric compressors under the recent EPA federal consent decree

Cost Effective Alternative Would Be Welcomed

The flaring event Wednesday August 4th at the Meraux plant was attributed to shutting down two units in order to changeout catalyst, an operation which is expected to take two weeks.(Reuters Report by Erwin Seba)    Some speculate Murphy's operation may include other maintenance to the units, perhaps replacing corroded pipes, given the highly corrosive property of the liquid catalyst used at the refinery. Residents remain concerned about possible leaks and the dangerous vapors which would go into the community.

Murphy Oil's domestic refineries are two of 51 U.S. oil refineries which are still using the deadly catalyst hydrofluoric acid or HF. (Neil Carman, Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter, Page 55)

""Fortunately, hydrofluoric acid is not the only material oil refineries can use in their refining processes. Many other refineries already use sulfuric acid, a safer alternative, in the alkylation process. This cost-effective and widely-used alternative diminishes the appeal of refineries as a terrorist target and mitigates the public health and safety consequences of an accident. In addition, a new technology, solid acid catalysts, will soon be available for widespread commercial use, offering an even safer option than the use of sulfuric acid.""
Needless Risk: Oil Refineries and Hazard Reduction

St Bernard Parish residents would welcome the use of a safer option in the alkylation process, one which would mitigate health and safety risks inherent to the highly corrosive catalyst.

mobile methane mapping using Picarro's CRDS technology

Picarro's CRDS Technology Methane analysis
Methane Plume in neighborhoods east of Murphy Oil's Meraux refinery
Picarro's CRDS technology analysis January 25, 2010

http://www.scribd.com/doc/25878684/Methane-Plume-Analysis-Louisiana-s-EXXON-s-Chalmette-Refining-LLC-and-Murphy-Oil-s-Meraux-Refiner

Murphy Oil air emissions update

10,800 pounds SO2

December 9 2009 3:30 to 10:00 automatic safety shutdown of the #2 SRU...result of an apparent malfunction in the SRU main burner flame detectors...root cause is under investigation at this time...Event lasted 6.5 hours and resulted in SO2 emissions estimated at 10,800 pounds. The wind was from the WSW at 10-15 mph. EDMS 44922598 incident T119999

3,090 pounds SO2

December 23 2009 automatic safety shutdown of the #2 SRU.....result of an apparent malfunction in the SRU main burner.....under investigation.....Event lasted 2.6 hours and resulted in SO2 emissions estimated at 3,090 pounds. EDMS 45084199 T120404 12/30/2009

300 Barrel Crude Oil Spill

Murphy Oil Christmas Eve 300 barrel crude oil spill Tank 250-1
Estimated spill 300 bbl; relase to air 9.3 bbl; release to ground 50.7 bbl.... -- Conducted air monitoring.....and detected no VOC and Benzene levels; no impact to waterways.

44,000 pounds hydrocarbons with 155 pounds benzene
Oct 14 - 17 2009 leak at upper manway in #2 FCCU Reactor - leak on the cat unit . Application of steam to disperse the vapors. First attempt to repair the leak failed on Oct 15 2009 and leak apparently worsened. Specialty group arrived Oct 16 2009 to measure the manway and asses the leak. On Oct 17 2009, as Murphy awaited that repair, the leak worsened, so Murphy shut down the FCCU as a safety precaution. The vendor installed the clamp on Oct 18 2009. The leak was estimated to have lasted 74.5 hours from approximately 09:00 hrs on Oct 14 2009 to 11:300 hrs on Oct 17 2009 when the unit was shut down.Estimated hydrocarbon emissions 44,000 pounds with 155 pounds of benzene. EDMS 44138747 Incident T119342 Murphy Oil rescinded notification of benzene release EDMS 44922731 Dec 10 2009 Murphy reported to the National Response Center that this event resulted in the release of benzene in excess of the 10 pounds reportable quantity. Murphy Oil provides Dec 10 2009 update to rescind benzene release notification citing CERCLA 101(14) for exemption from reporting benzene emissions.

naphtha vapors and crude oil spill

Jan 5 2010 naphtha vapors

EDMS 45417616 dated 1/12/2010 incident T120544

naphtha vapors venting during shutdown of Hydrocracker Unit to South Flare; 18 minute event on Jan 5 2010, with estimated SO2 emissions at 12 pounds (under 500 pound RQ). . no other chemical releases reported wind from NW at 10 - 15 mph. residents reported lots of discharge from boiler stack and a sour smell on St Bernard Hwy which entered vehicles when driving through the facility on St Bernard Hwy

Jan 6 2010 crude oil spill Tank 250-1

EDMS 45417549 dated Jan 13 2010 incident T120583

Murphy Oil crude oil spill Tank 250-1 Jan 6 2010 three barrel crude spill ; release to air .140 bbl;The skimming tank was no longer level (due to settling after a month of heavy rains), resulting in the high liquid level sensor being out of position. As as Jan 13 2010 the cleanup of the spilled material was on-going. While Murphy Oil reports no injuries and no impact to waterways, it is unclear how storm water runoff from this tank system effects the neighborhood canal and nearby wetlands

water samples ? air emissions ?

April showers bring May flowers, yet

December rain brings oil

Unknown VOC and Benzene Emissions

On December 11 2009 Murphy was forced to open Outfall 003 due to prolonged rains. EDMS 44922633 Dec 13 2009 Oil also reports on December 13 2009 Murphy Oil made a discovery of oil in a neighborhood canal. Murphy Oil discovered a release of diesel-like oily water on the 20 arpent canal, reported by Murphy Oil as ""presumably from Outfall 003"".

The refinery storm water outfalls on page two of the flowchart indicates emergency outfall 003 due east of the Collin's Pipeline area. Collin's Pipeline is a joint venture of EXXON-Houston and Murphy Oil Meraux. To the west of Collin's Pipeline area is the municipal storm drainage pipe which released the diesel oil into the neighborhood canal, named 20 arpent canal, where it intersects Jacob Drive. It is unclear at this time how the diesel oil entered the municipal storm water system. There is no quantity of diesel released nor benzene or VOC emissions reported.

Residents have requested water, soil and air sample results from Louisiana Dept of Environmental Quality. It is unclear if any samples were taken by the state department.

During the same time Murphy Oil Tank 250-2 was scheduled for a cleanout with use of a temporary, portable diesel fuel tank EDMS 44548567.

31,274 pounds of VOC's and 616 pounds of benzene

On December 14 2009 there was a release of 10,967 barrels of gasoline to the roof of Tank 200-1 as reported EDMS 44926543 and to state hazmat Dec 14 2009 storage tank roof collapsed. For approximately 2.8 hours until the tank was pumped down to its lowest level, initial estimated emissions are 31,274 pounds of VOC's and 616 pounds of benzene.

oil in Florida Canal

PARKLAND — It's taken more than seven months, but the city said it now knows why oil and tar balls, just smaller than golf balls, wound up in a canal by the Ranches neighborhood
Full story: South Florida Sun-Sentinel by Huriash -


comments on Florida spill: One can only imagine the birth defects and tetarogenesis that will afflict Parklanders due to this spill. Already incidence of fibromyalgia and migraine is up in the area.


NOTE: St Bernard Parish residents have reported to the State Regulators, Local Fire Department and anyone else who would listen since 2007 - there is oil in the 20 and most recently, oil was also reported in the Jacob Canal.

gasoline release to river

an unknown amount of gasoline was released to the Mississippi River last week as reported to the United States Coast Guard. The incident was discovered on 27-OCT-09 at 11:55 local time. USCG report Oct 27 2009



DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT CALLER STATED THERE IS A LEAK FROM A TRIM CONDENSER LOCATED ON THE FACILITY. MATERIAL IS BEING DISCHARGED INTO THE COOLING WATER RETURN POND WHICH LEADS TO A CANAL THAT LEADS TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

on the same day, residents reported a distinct fuel smell of gasoline, however the state agency's followup call reported there were no problems, no violations and no smells of any kind as indicated in the plant's operating logs which were reviewed in the hours long inspection of October 28 2009

"Good Fences Make Good Neighbours"

The neighbors requested that Murphy Oil be a good neighbor and perform basic fence repairs and a few improvements, such as installing fence fabric or mesh.

We believe this is a win-win opportunity because it will address a longstanding problem, it may bring the refinery into local code compliance, and it may even mitigate some of the corporation's safety and liability issues.

http://blog.nola.com/letterstotheeditor/2009/03/neighbors_want_refinery_buffer.html

While there is no such thing as an impermeable fence, clearly it is the industry's responsibility to do what ever is necessary to comply. Given the close proximately and inherent dangers of their refinery, one would expect a corporate commitment which goes beyond the requirements of the law.

A good corporate citizen's daily operations demonstrate respect for the residents on the other side of the fenceline. Simple compliance with its existing federal permits, state and local laws will allow this industry and neighborhood to continue peaceful coexistence.